HEC Paris has hosted a group of participants from its Qatar campus during a study trip to Europe.
Eight participants of the Strategic Business Unit Management (SBUM) class of 2017 joined the trip to France and Germany, aiming to further develop their understanding of the international business
culture and environment.
During the 10-day excursion, which took place between July 10 and 19, the group first visited the main campus of HEC Paris where they met with MBA participants and professors before undertaking a tour of the historical building in which the academic institution is located.
“Visiting our main campus in Paris provides any group of our Qatar participants with an international experience and an opportunity to further network with their peers and gain valuable information about HEC Paris,” said Laoucine Kerbache, Dean and CEO, HEC Paris in Qatar. “I welcome this independent initiative by a small group of SBUM participants and would like to thank Salam International for their assistance
in making it happen.”
The second part of the trip took place in Germany in Stuttgart, Ingolstadt and Munich, where the participants visited automobile plants of BMW, Audi, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz.
The mission for this trip was to understand the overall business strategy of the companies while linking it to their curriculum and obtaining a new perspective on how corporate goals are set and executed. It also aimed to provide a better understanding of how different departments – from manufacturing to frontline sales – implement and drive
organisational strategy.
The participants were able to gain insight from the various companies they met on how to balance between procuring, manufacturing and cost considerations and the key measure driving the decision process on a global economy. They also learned how companies adapt to changing trends in the automotive industry such as automation, electrical vehicles and volatility in oil prices.
“By attending such trips, participants are able to gain first-hand experience of the business world as well as speak with those in the profession about their own experiences,” said Nora Kerbache, director of Institutional and Alumni
Relations, Middle East.